Oral Answer by Ministry of National Development on rental flats
Feb 29, 2016
Mr David Ong Kim Huat: To ask the Minister for National Development
(a) what is the number of rental applications received under the Public Rental Scheme over the past year and how many of these applications are under the Joint Singles Scheme; and
(b) how many complaints has the HDB received of disputes among residents under the Joint Singles Scheme in the past two years.
Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar: To ask the Minister for National Development whether HDB will consider implementing a pilot scheme for rental flats where single tenants are allowed to rent a smaller rental flat instead of requiring a minimum of two co-tenants.
Answer:
HDB registered 2,184 rental applications in 2015, of which, 398 (18%) were registered under the Joint Singles Scheme (JSS). The JSS ensures prudent use of limited public rental flats to help those in need.
Most JSS tenants are able to live together amicably. The key is mutual respect and tolerance. However, there are instances where tenants are unable to get along and request for a change of tenant. For the past 2 years, there were 235 such requests, out of around 12,000 JSS households. In such cases, HDB will advise them to settle their dispute amicably or seek help from the grassroots organisations or the Community Mediation Centre. If the dispute cannot be settled and one person needs to move out, HDB will advise the remaining person to include another eligible single to retain the flat. The out-going person may submit a fresh application to rent another public rental flat with another eligible person.
MND and HDB have no plans to allow singles to rent a flat alone. Nonetheless, since 2015, HDB has made available some new 1-room rental flats with partitions to create separate sleeping areas for each occupant, for singles who prefer more privacy. Each sleeping area can accommodate a single bed and a small wardrobe, and has its own windows, while the living area, kitchen and toilet remain shared.
For those who need to stay alone for exceptional reasons, such as medical grounds, HDB will assess their requests on a case-by-case basis.